LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Sunday it would ban the
sale of electronic cigarettes to children under age 18, citing
possible adverse health effects and outlining a need for further
medical research.

E-cigarettes, which are puffed like a regular cigarette but
deliver nicotine by vaporizing liquid rather than burning
tobacco, have grown in popularity and some analysts predict the
market could outpace conventional cigarettes within a decade.

"We do not yet know the harm that e-cigarettes can cause to
adults let alone to children, but we do know they are not risk-
free," England's Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies said in a
statement.

She added that e-cigarettes can produce toxic chemicals and
that variations in the strength of the nicotine solutions
between different products meant they could end up being
"extremely damaging" to young people's health.

The global market for e-cigarettes was estimated at more
than $2 billion last year by market consultant Euromonitor.

Under-18s are already banned from buying conventional
cigarettes in Britain. Sunday's announcement included plans to
make it illegal for adults to buy regular cigarettes for
consumption by under-18s.

The changes will be written into a bill already on its way
through parliament and are expected to have cross-party support,
although the opposition Labour party criticized the government
for not acting more quickly.

The battery-powered metal tubes of e-cigarettes are seen as
less harmful than regular cigarettes and a useful way to wean
smokers off their habits. Critics, however, say they can act as
a gateway to nicotine addiction and that more research is needed
on the health implications.

Regulators in Europe and the United States have been
debating policy toward the industry. The European Union reached
an agreement in December to allow e-cigarettes to be sold as
consumer products rather than more tightly regulated medical
devices.